Impulse propelled toy automobile



March 27, 1951 H, w, JENKWS 2,546,223

IMPULSE PROPELLED TOY AUTOMOBILE Filed Aug. 22, 1949 Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED ls'rATEs PATENT OFFICE IMPULSE PROPELLED TOY AUTOMOBILE Harold W. J enkins, Kansas City, Mo. Application August 2:2, 1949, Serial N o. 111,701

l (Cl. 46-206) 1 olaim. 1

The present invention relates to mechanical toys, with particular-reference to toy vehicles having means for producing a movement of the vehicle in simulation of-the usual form of vehicle copied by the toy design.

Accordingly, the invention in the present instance comprises a toy vehicle of automobile design provided with means associated therewith for imparting thereto a thrust whereby the vehicle will be propelled fo-r a certain distance representing a forward movement of the vehicle and within given limits dependent upon the manipulation of said propelling means as Controlled by the operator of the toy.

In its preferred form, the invention comprises a toy vehicle provided with spring-actuated propelling or pushing means adapted to be set to any desired extent for engagement by a suitable fixed abutment at the starting point or position, and thereafter released for utilizing the spring action of said propelling means, for propelling the vehicle in a forward direction, until the propelling force of said propelling or pushing means has become exhausted.

With the foregoing generalobject in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one suitable form of embodiment of the proposed improvements, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a side elevation, illustrating a toy vehicle having propelling means constructed in accordance With the present invention and showing the same-in initial or starting position;

Figure 2 is a similar view, but showing the vehicle after release of same from its starting position, and with said propelling means in retracted positionfollowing release thereof toimpartlmovement to the toy vehicle;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the toy vehicle as shown in Figure 2 and with certain portions of the same partially broken away; and

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged detail sectional views, representing Sections taken on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 3.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the improved mechanical to'y device is illustrated as comprising a conventional form of toy "auto vehicle IO, which ``may be of suitable plastic construction and provided with rubber tired Wheels IZ and also, preferably a rubber type of front bumper member |4.

For producing the desired propelling movei Figure 1 ment of the toy vehicle, the body of the said auto design is constructed with a set of bearing mounts IB for accommodating a tubular member |8 extending centrally and longitudinally of the vehicle-as illustrated in Figure S-the purpcse of which is to provide a cylindrical housing for slidingly accommodating a longitudinal thrust rod 29, the forward end of which is attached-as indicated at 22-to the forward end of a coil retractile spring 24, which is also accommodated within said. cylindrical tube |8 in a position surrounding said rod 20.

.As represented in Figure 4 of the drawing, the rear end of said coil retractile spring 24 is anchored in fixed position at the rear bearing mount structure Hi, i. e. at the rear end of the vehicle body li. The outer or rear end of the said rod 25) is also fitted With a suitable knob element 26 for facilitating the manipulation of the rod, and being also designed to make appropriate engagement with a fixed Wall or other abutment, as indicated at 30, representing the starting position for the vehicle movement, as hereinafter described.

The operation of the improved toy vehicle device, as above described, is extremely simple,,as regards carrying out the performance of same, it being merely required to push the rod 25] (by engagement with the aforesaid knob element 26) for the purpose of projecting the same as far forward as desired into the tubular member I 8, which results in projecting the forward end of said rod and its spring 24 out through an opening 28 at the front end of the vehicle and in line with the front end of said tube IB-as illustrated in Such initial stage of the operation may be produced, of course, by simply engaging said knob 26 with a suitable fixed abutment, such as a wall 30, and pushing against the same to the required extent necessary for projecting the rod' and its spring into the desired operative position (i. e., according to the force to be exerted by said spring); after which the toy vehicle is abruptly released to the retractile action of the spring, whereupon the return action of said spring as it activates said rod into its initial position (as illustrated in Figure 2) provides the `propelling force for .producing the traveling movement of the toy vehicle-in an obvious manner.

The design of the toy device is also of such a nature as to simulate to a degree the idea of jet propulsion, due to the provision of the opening 2.8 and also the opening 28', at the front and rear of the vehicleyrespectively, as represented by the drawing.

It will therefore be apparent that I have described a neat, simple and attraotive design of toy assembly for carrying out the desired purposes of the invention in a novel, practical and efficient manner; and while I have herein illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred form of embodiment thereof, I desire to be understood as reserving the right to make such changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A toy vehicle, comprising a. body portion Simulating an automobile design, a tubular member extending the entire length of said body portion from front to rear and provided with bearing mounts at the opposite ends of said tubular member and also at an intermediate point for sup--v porting said tubular member in fixed relation to said bodyportion, a longitudinal thrust rod Operating slidingly through said tubular member and projectable out through the oppositel ends thereof, a coil retractile spring accommodated within said tubular member and surrounding said thrust rod, the rear end of said spring being anchored in fixed position at the rear bearing mount of said tubular member and the forward end of said spring being attached to the front end of said thrust rod, and a knob element carried by the rear end of said thrust rod at the exterior of said body portion in position for engagement With a fixed abutment for tensioning said spring and thereafter releasing the rod and spring for operation in propelling the vehicle in a forward direction away from said abutment.

HAROLD W. J ENKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,5462431 Brandt July 21, 1925 2306,898 Palmer Dec. 29, 1942 

